"We had chosen to do it the way we did because we wanted to try and get Leighton Baines and we didn't want to give up on that until the last minute,'' Moyes said.

"We felt the best way to do that was to try and keep the two deals together. Only at the last minute did we split them.

"They talk about the great Belgium team but every time I go to see Belgium, I always come away thinking Marouane is the best player.''

With Fellaini having to wait all summer for his move to Old Trafford, the midfielder admits he started to doubt whether the deal was ever going to be completed.

"With the chairman at Everton you never know,'' Fellaini said. "Sometimes I think there is no chance for me to join Manchester United. But in the end I was so happy because the chairman accepted the deal.''

Fellaini was so desperate to force through a move to United that he gave up an estimated £4m in wages and drove to Everton's training ground at Finch Farm to plead with manager Roberto Martinez to be allowed to leave.

"I talked with the manager,'' Fellaini said. "It was a big opportunity for me to join one of the biggest clubs in the world. I want to win trophies. I play football for this. With Manchester United I have a big chance to win something.''